ladbible homepage
ladbible homepage
  • iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK
    • US
    • World
    • Ireland
    • Australia
    • Science
    • Crime
    • Weather
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV
    • Film
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • Netflix
    • Disney
  • Sport
  • Technology
  • Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • Money
  • Originals
    • FFS PRODUCTIONS
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Archive
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • SPORTbible
  • Tyla
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
People baffled after discovering weird 'blacked out' island on Google Maps

Home> News> World News

Published 11:34 12 Aug 2023 GMT+1

People baffled after discovering weird 'blacked out' island on Google Maps

No one knows why it's been blacked out - though it's not stopped people from speculating

Jess Hardiman

Jess Hardiman

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

Google Maps has captured all kinds of weird and wonderful scenes over the years.

From hungover women waiting for takeaways to trippy optical illusions, technology capturing hilarious moments completely by chance never grows old.

Sometimes, however, details on Google Maps can prove to create a bit of a mystery - and no, not just what that hangover lass ordered from Deliveroo.

A load of people online have been absolutely baffled after spotting a strange island that appears to have been completely blacked out, with many joking that they've finally found the remote spot from Lost.

Advert

We don't actually know where it is, and it actually appears to technically be an atoll - though we can stick with island if that makes things easier.

The outside of the island seems to show the lighter sea, and even some waves crashing against what are presumably lovely beaches around the outside.

We don't know exactly where in the world it is.
Reddit

However, the centre of the island is completely blacked out, and we know for a fact that Google Maps do sometimes black places out that they don't have access to, or people don't want them to know what's going on there, or just don't like being on Google Maps.

There's also just a chance that it's a quirk of the way that the programme is made. It could be that they just didn't remember to put the middle into it.

We may well never know.

Still, that hasn't stopped the good folks of the internet speculating about it.

One person wrote: "God dropped his guitar pick."

Right, so we can probably rule that theory out.

Another said: "My first thought was that it's censored. It wouldn't make sense for a natural formation to be black like that in such a shallow, small atoll/island."

Hmm, but why would that be the case?

A third - as we teased earlier - said: "Ladies and gentlemen, they have found the Island in Lost."

However, one Reddit user might have found the - admittedly dull - solution to the problem.

Some people joked we'd finally found the island in Lost.
Reddit

They said: "OK so the real answer is the blue colour around the island is a painted-in color so the oceans look uniform in the maps.

"Islands are added by erasing some of that blue to let the satellite image show through.

"Sometimes they do a sloppy job. So what you are seeing moving inward is: artificial ocean colour, real ocean with waves, beach, island.

"As for the shape, idk man islands come in all shapes and sizes I don't discriminate".

Well, whatever it is, it looks pretty cool. Let's assume it's some sort of hybrid Lost island/Area 51/pit of despair sort of set-up.

Featured Image Credit: Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty/Reddit

Topics: Google Maps, World News, Weird, Technology

Jess Hardiman
Jess Hardiman

Jess is Entertainment Desk Lead at LADbible Group. She graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

X

@Jess_Hardiman

Recommended reads

Horror true story behind Gemma Collins three day I'm A Celeb exit as she vows it 'won't happen again'ITVITV appear to confirm I'm A Celeb's Kiosk Keith return in easily missed momentITVComedian's controversial story about 'pantsing' six-year-old edited out of video after backlashCindy Ord/VF26/Getty Images for Vanity FairWireless issues statement following calls to block Kanye West from performing at festivalArnold Jerocki/Getty Images

Advert

Choose your content:

9 hours ago
10 hours ago
12 hours ago
  • Scott Olson/Getty Images
    9 hours ago

    Metformin drug taken by millions has ‘striking’ unexpected health benefit, study suggests

    Researchers in the US looked at the impact on prostate cancer patients

    News
  • Facebook
    9 hours ago

    Waitrose worker of 17 years issues response after sacking for Easter Egg shoplifter incident

    Walker Smith shared a plea after his story about losing his job at Waitrose went viral

    News
  • lmctplus/Instagram
    10 hours ago

    ‘Final twist' made after couple won dream $4.2 million house that became nightmare

    The couple spoke out against the man who gave-away the house, releasing CCTV footage

    News
  • (Reflect Orbital)
    12 hours ago

    Scientists warn of ‘planetary scale' disruption over plans to launch 50,000 mirrors into space

    A start-up company's ambitious plan has caused concern and backlash

    News
  • Husband ends marriage with wife after spotting detail on Google Maps
  • People convinced they've found 'alien technology' as mysterious tower discovered on Google Maps in Area 51
  • Newly released photo from airline pilot showing '1000ft UFO' has been debunked on Google Maps
  • Google Maps users claim they've found an 'alien base' under a cliff in Antarctica